Keyboard for calculating-machines.



0. v WILGUS. KEYBOARD FOR CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 16, 1911. Patented July 8, 1913.

'I SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR WI TNESSES:

coLunnlA Pumoqlumu co vusmnc'rou. v. c.

C. V. WILGUS.

KEYBOARD FOR CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 16 1911.

Patented July 8, 1913.

1 sums-sum 2.

mm m mm WITNE88E8:

co unuu vumoaluum co wnsnma'rou. o. c.

.C. V. WILGUS.

KEYBOARD FOB. CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1911. 1,066,690. Patented July 3, 1913.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

A ORIVEY mums". PLANOGRAPH co WASHINGTON. n. c.

G. V. WILGUS.

KEYBOARD FOR CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLIOATIOK FILED DOT. 16, 1911.

WITNESSES:

Patented July 8, 1913.

G. V. WILGUS.

KEYBOARD FOR CALCULATING MACHINES '1 sums-sum- 5.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 16, 1911.

Patented July 8,

WI TNESSES:

AOR/VEY COLUMBIA vuuocunm couwAsmum'um u. c.

C. V. WILGUS.

KEYBOARD FOR CALCULATING MACHINES.

121110111011 mum 001.16, 1911.

1,066,690. Patented July 8, 1913.

I BKEETS8HEET 6.

WITNESSES. l/VV TOR Ma/fl/ BY W 4,

. A ORNE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co. WASHINGTON. u. c.

G. V. WILGUS.

KEYBOARD FOB. CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION PILED 0013.16, 1911.

Patented July 8, 1913.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

WITNESSES: INVENTUR UNITED STA'ILES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES V. WILGUS, 0F KINGSTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADDER MACHINE COMPANY, OF WILKES-BARBIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

KEYBOARD FOR CALCULATING-MACHINES.

Application filed October 16, 1911.

chines and constitutes an improvement on.

United States patent to McFarland, #940,708 dated Nov. 23, 1909. v

It is often desirable after an amount is set up on a keyboard, to look all the keys, against operation during the turning of the main drive shaft, to prevent attempted changes or corrections in the amount set up, because such attempts are liable to cause an inaccurate registration, and may operate to scatter the type and impair the appearance of the work. In the locking keyboarddisclosed in patent above referred to, swinging lock bars extend transversely of the keyboard and are connected by a coupling piece controlled by an angle lever, whose free end is wiped by a cam operated by the-main drive shaft. held idle by a spring which is overcome by the cam when the drive shaft-is ,opei'ated,

to enable the lock bars to rock into. one or another of two notches near theuppe'r end, of each key and respectively located opgosite said bars in either the normal or pressed positions of said keys], .Said lock bars operate at the outset of. they initial stroke of the shaft, to hold the keys against depression, and are returned to idle position by the restoring spring as the shaft rer,

leases the cam from the angle lever at the completion of its return stroke. I To prevent the operation of the usual correcting key after the shaft has started on its operating stroke, the patent above referred to discloses a link connected to and operated by one of the lock bars, said link having a shoulder which, when the drive shaft starts on its initial stroke, enters the path of a stop on the usual tilting frame rocked by the correcting key to prevent-the operation of the key.

In former constructions with which I am familiar, the keys may be locked in depressed position in such manner as to pre vent their return by the depression of another key in the same hank, prior to turn The lock bars are normally Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913.

Serial No. 655,014.

ing the drive shaft, or if the flexibility of the keyboard is preserved prior to turning the shaft, then the keyboard is subject to manipulation, that is, the forcible restoration of the depressed keys by pulling upwardly thereon, notwithstanding the locking mechanism.

One object of the present invention is to improve and simplify combined flexible and locking keyboards, so that the advantages of a flexible keyboard are preserved up to that point in the operation of the machine wherein manipulation of the keys might result in false registrations or improper listing of amounts, at which point the keys are firmly locked against forcible depression and restoration. Thus, after the operation of the machine has passed that .point at which manipulation of the-keyboard might result in an erroneous registration, a depressed key cannot be restored, nor can any key in nor mal position be.dep ressed..

Still another objectisto simplify andimprove the means. for locking the correcting key, to prevent depression thereof during the operationQof-the main drive shaft.

Other. objects and advantages will be more fullyv explainedhereinafter and particularly-pointed out in. the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 isa longitudinalsectional View through a flexible keyboard embodying generally, the wel1-known. Wales construction, equipped with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan, partly broken away, showing the invention applied to a special keyboard.

.Fig. 3 is a detail side view, of the same.

Fig. 4- is a fragmentary bottom plan of the keyboard, showing the, restorin member in normal or effective position. ig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line X-X of Fig. 1, showing the locking bars in normal position, with the keys free to operate. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan corresponding to Fig. 4, showing the restoring member shifted to permit the locking bars to lock the keys. Fig. 7 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig, 5, showing the latches in locked position. Fig. 8 is, a detail perspective, showing the locking mechanism for the keys. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective, showing the relation of a key and locking bar, when the latter is locked. Fig. 10 is a similar view, showing the key free to operate. Fig. 11

is a detail plan of the stop housing, showing the means for releasing the keepers. Fig. 12 is a side view,-partly broken away, showingion'e means to lock the correcting key against operation, the mechanism being illustrated in normal position, and the total key depressed. Fig. 13isa detail view, of the key-operated stops, the keepers for holding them effective, and the tripping shaft Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12, showing the correcting key locked against operation. Fig. is a similar view, showing the correcting key in operation. "16 is a detail perspective 'of'the rocking or tilting 5 frame controlled by the correcting k'ey.

Although this in'ventionis, for conven} "ien'c'e',illustrated'in connection with the keyboardsectio'n of a well-knownWales calculating machine, its use is nottconfined to '20 that type of machine. 4

The key section shown, comprises side frames 1.1 (Fig. 1),connebted by a stepped series of slotted cros s-braces 2.2 and supporting an apertured'gu'ide plate 3. 1 Springreturned keys 4 arranged in rows; or banks, pass down thro'ugh' the apertures in the guide plate a nd cross' braces, their lower'ends depending" below said braces and :on'nected"to levels 5" piyoted at 6 to hang- 3'0 *ers 7 securedto'theside frames. Saidlevers' and project above a casing 65* ho'usingfa secured torear extensions of the side frames 1. 1. The stops-formal ba'nk of keys are arrangedin a row;one"behind"the other.

-Depressing akey k agai'n'st'its sprii g "rocks-its lever 5 to pi'oject its 'stop* 8 into the path of a register driving-iack 1'11 Springpressed? latches or keepers" ieiiri 13) 40 swingihgon" pintles 13, ektgh'd acitiss the housing a'djacen't each row of stops 8. When any oiieof the stops s'i sfproje'cted, a lug 14: thereon, normally 'lyi'ng below the'keeperp presses the latter aside so as" to pass, I after case the wrong key in -labanki has beenPde-I pressed, the error is easily corrected'bydepressing the desired key in "th'at same bank, the operationof Whiclrroc'ks the keeper aside, as above explaine'd, thereby releasing the lug 14 ofithe key stoperroneously projected, to enable the keyspring 10 to return such stop and its key, the keeper at once returning to effective position to snap be neath the lug'of the desired key stop and lock the stop against restoration toidle position. There are as many racks 11 as there are rows of keys and stops, each rack being pivotally supported on swinging arms, the

forwardarms 16 only being shown, and a shaft 21 onits initial stroke, in an adding operation withdraws the restoring bail through well-known mechanismfnot shown, to permit the racks to be driven forwardly by their springs until arrested by the stops 8 set up by the keys. 7 Means (not shown) is provided to restrain'tlie racks in whose paths no stops havebeen' projected. Numeral wheels 23 joi'iriialed on an aide 21 (Figs. 2 and have pinions 22 fast thereto,

which engage the respective racks 11 after 'the latter have been arrested by the stops 8. Upon the return stroke of the main drive shaft 21, the bail'lS restores the racks 'to normal position and the racks, during such restoration, turn thepinions'to cause the wheels or counters"23 to register the proper amonnt.' As the drive shaft c0m pletes its'stroke, the pinions are disengaged from their driving means and well-known 'mechanism,'not shown, is operatedtorock a trip shaft 25, located adjacent thestop casing 9 and having tappets26 to'strike ears 27' on the keepers 12 toefi'ect therelease of the projected stopsf'8, which permits the 're'storationofthe depressed keys by their springs 10.

"It sometimes happens that an operator will not notice that keys have been erroneously depressed until after the drive] shaft has 'started'its initial stroke. If then a "correction is'attenipted, an incorrect; addi- 'tion"niay r'es'i'ilt', depending upon the dis tance through 'vhich thef'racks have been propelled arid the position of the desired ky controlled "sto srelatively" thereto. Also the type may be prevented from alinin with the riiitino lineor rint an incorg P b .P.

rect amount. "To 'obviate' these disadvantages, a novel means for locking the keys againstoperation is proyid'ed, such' means becoming efiective during the; ini'ti al stroke of the main shaft prior to the projection of the racksand releasing the keys foroperationpn the return stroke of the shaft. Accordingly, each key has a' 'catch 28' preferably forrncdbynotchin g 'the'key as at 29. 30, near its lower end, at that portion which passes through the crossbrace 2. Said cross-braces may comprise channelbars, each of which supports a lockin bar 31 having notches 32 therein jnormally alined with the catches 28 of the keys of each cross-row, F ig. S) to permit said keys to be depressed. Normally, the keys 4 are supported with their lower notches 30 in line with the notches 32 of the locking bars 31, (Fig. 10.) Depressing 'a keymoves its catch 28 through a notch 32 of the locking bar from a position above the bar 31 to a position on the other side thereof, to bring the notch 29 in line with said bar. The locking bars are held idle against the tension of springs 33, by a restraining and restoring bar or member 34 extending transversely of the series of locking bars 31, (Figs. 4 and 5,) and lying in the paths of studs or projections 35 on the respective locking bars. Said projections are preferably mounted on extensions 36 rigidly connected to the locking bars 31 and projecting. through slots 37 in the cross bars 2. The desired keys having been depressed, the main shaft 21 is turned (by a handle or motor, not shown) in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1) to effect the registration by means of wellknown mechanism. The shaft 21 has a crank 38 fixed thereto and connected by a link 39 to rocking arm 40 which may be supported on a rod 41. Said arm normally lies in the path, preferably, of the restraining member 34 or of a stud or projection 42 thereon, to hold the member in efiective position against the tension of a releasing spring 43. As the drive shaft 21 starts on its initial stroke, it rocks the restoring arm 40 to withdraw it from the stud or projection 42, whereupon the, restraining member is freed to the action of its spring 43. Said spring thereupon shifts the restraining bar relatively to the locking bars 31 to bring recesses 44 in said restraining member in line with the studs or projections 35 on said locking bars, thus freeing said locking bars to the action of their springs 33 which slide the bars relatively to the cross braces2. 2 and through notches 29 of the depressed keys and 30 of'the undepressed keys, to bring imperforate portions of the locking bars in line with the catches 28 on the keys to latch said keys in either their normal or depressed positions against movement in either direction. The walls of the notches 29 and 30 extend at about rightangles to the latches 31 to catch on the latches and prevent restoration of the keys by pulling upwardly thereon, nor can undepressed keys be depressed for the same reason. Duringv the return stroke of the main drive shaft, the arm 40 by pressure against the restraining member 34, returns the latter to normal position against the tension of its spring 43. One wall of each of the recesses 44 in the restraining bar is inclined and hence the return of said bar or member shoulders or cams the respective studs or projections 35 of the latches seated in said recesses in one direction to restore said latches 31 to their positions of rest against the tension of their locking springs 33, to bring the notches 32 of said latches or locking bars into register with the catches 28 on the keys. This registration frees the keys for restoration by their springs 10, the stops Figs. 2 and 3.

8 being released by their keepers 12 at substantially the same time. The restraining and restoring member thus acts somewhat similarly to a series of cams to alternately free the locking bars to the action of their springs and return said bars to rest.

It will be noted that the locking mechanism is positioned some distance below the apertured guide plate 3. In fact, it preferably coacts with the lower ends of the keys and is, therefore, applicable to special keyboards, such, for instance, as that shown in This special form of keyboard is provided with extra keys, as those numbered 10 and 11 in addition to the regular rows of keys. The upper ends 01 the stems 45 of said extra keys are horizontally curved to clear the stems of the unit keys S and 9 and hence any locking mechanism operating in conjunction with the upper ends of the keys, could not be readily applied to a special keyboard or this type.

Calculating machines of the \Vales type are generally provided with a correcting key 46 to enable the operator to manually restore depressed keys, when such keys have been operated either by accident or mistake, for example. The correcting key is preferably pivoted to a tilting frame 47 rocking on a rod 48 in the main frame of the machine. Said tilting frame has a leg 49 to kick a crank 50 faston the trip shaft 25 and thereby rock the trip shaft to effect the release of the stops 8, and the restoration of the depressed keys. Said correcting key also effects the restoration of the total key 51 prior to the rotation of the drive shaft, through a link 52 connecting the leg 4-9 with a crank 53 to which is attached an arm 54. A catch 55 (Fig. 15) pivoted to a segment 56 controlled by the main drive shaft, holds the total key down. The segment is provided with well-known means to hold the total key down during the stroke of the shaft. Depressing the correcting key swings the arm 54 against said latch to rock the latter and release the total key which is restored by its spring 57.

Obviously, an attempt might. be made to correct erroneously depressed keys, by manipulating the correcting key after the drive shaft has started on its stroke. to avoid which, said correcting key is locker against operation when the shafthas started, and is held lock (1 while the shaft is in other than its home position. Accordingly, the segment 56 is caused to enter and travel in the path of the arm 54 (Fig. 14) as the drive shaft is turned, aid segment then constituting a stop to arrest the swinging arm 54 and hence prevent the operation of the correct ing key until the main shaft has nearly returned to its position of rest.

Changes may be made in the form and a r- 1, without departing from the, spirit .andscope of the invention.

. in}; bars, catches on the .10

I locking thereof in line with the catches to prevent locking bars.

tion with a drive shaft, of a flexible key- 2 portions thereof above the catches on the 7 shift the restoring member when, freed by ing bars to bring nnnotched portionsthereof against operation, comprising catches on the z to hold the locking bars idle, said restoring member being recessed to accommodate the .starts on its initialjstroke, t-o ,permit the rangement 9f the several parts described lVhat I claim as new, is 7 1. In a calculating, machine, the combinationavith a drire shaft, of a flexible keyboard; and means to lock the keys against operation, comprising several notched lock,- keys, with which catches the notches the locking bars are normally alined; means tending to shift the bars to bring unnotched f port-ions the operation of the keys; and a restoring member normally holding said locking bars idle, and controlledby the shaft to free the 2. In a calculating, machine, the combinaboard; and meansto lock the keys thereof against operationin either directio-n aftcr the shaft has started on its initial stroke comprising several notched locking I bars, catches on the keys with which catches notches are normally aline d, springs tending to shift the locking bars to bring nnotched operated keys and below the catches on the idle keys, to prevent operation thereof, restoring member controlled by the ,drive shaft to normally hold the locking bars idle until the shaft is operated, and a spring to the shaft, to. permit the locking bars to open; i ate.

3. In a calcul'atin tion with a drive s board and means, to

machine, the combinag aft, of a flexible key: lock the keys thereof keys, several notchedidoc'king bars, the notches of which are normallyallned with through the tacting said projecti on to hold the restoring melnberf in operative position, and connections between the arm and ,shaft to rock the arm to release the restoring member.

, v5. In a calculating machine, the combinati0n with a drive shaft, of a. flexible keyboard; and means to lockthe keysthereof against operation, comprising catches on the keys, several notched: locking bars, the ,notches of which are normally. alined with the catches, means tending to shift the locking bars to bring unn otched portions thereof into line with the catches; and. a ,res toring member controlledhy said shaft and having a seriesof cams tocontact saidlocking bars and. shift the latter to ineffective position or to free the locking bars to the action of their impellingmeans, as the shaft is turned in one: direction or the other.

F 6. In a calculating machinq the combination with a drive shaft, of ar fle xib le keyboard comprising a series of channeledcross braces, keys, the lower ends of which pass cross-braces; catches von said lower endsrlo cking memberssupported by said cro ssbraces and coract ing with the lowergen'ds of the keys, lock the keys a t mevement i e xd zee on; and means regulatedi by the shaft to control the lockingnrembers. I

' In a; calculating machine, the combination with a ,driye shaft, and a flexible keyboard; including several numeral 2 keys; of a loc ting m echanisrn comprising catches on said -keys,.notch ed latches, the catches normally alined. with said notches, meai istend ingjqshift the latches bring nnnotched portions thereof into line with the catches, and a combined restraining and restoring m m i: contr d. by th s a sa the la h-2 n iw. n 9. r es'torethem ,to idle the catches, means tending to shiftthe lock- ,position.

studs on the locking barsywhe n the shaft locking bars toshift, effective position.

4. In a calculating machine, .the .c;ombina; tion with a drive shaft, of,a -flexible key-Q -l e qa u tingtme inetth om tio it d ii'e aft; a lfiexibk b ard incl di g ee t r d mss:b and several, numeral keys ft ,passing through s id-br w r te e kie e e m prising catcheslQS said keys, notched atch a sii is nrpr on t e b QQ'e theirnotches 32 normally alined with the a,-ertures.in t braces and the catches on th k s. (sp .33 .t sh f thelet to bring imperforate portionsthereof into line board and means to lock the keys thereofi wit-h' the catches, projections 35 on said against operation, comprisingcatcheson the keys, several notched locking bars, the, V notches of which are normally alined with the catches, means tending to shift the locking barsto bring unnotched port-ions thereof into line with the catches, a restoring member in the paths of the locking bars to hold them in ineffective position, means tending to shift the restoring member to free said locking bars for action, a projection on I said restoringmember, a swinging arm conlatches, a restrain ng and restoring bar 34 normally lyinggin the path of said projections to hold the latches idle, said restraining and restoring bar having recesses 35 normally outof alinement with said projections, $p ng. to shift a d es ai in an i st-oring bar to aline the notches with the projections and thereby free the latchesto the action of their springs, andan arm {10 controlled by the 21 and engaging the restraining and 'restoring bar to hold the latter in normal position when the shaft is at rest, and to restore the latches to idle position during the completion of a full stroke of the shaft.

9. In a calculating machine, the combination with a drive shaft, a keyboard, including several depressible keys; and a correcting key, of a locking mechanism controlled by the shaft to lock said keys against operation when the shaft starts on its initial stroke; and other means controlled by said shaft to lock the correcting key against operation when the shaft starts on its stroke.

10. In a calculating machine, the combination with a driving shaft; a keyboard, including several depressible keys, and a correcting key; of a locking mechanism for the keys controlled by the shaft and normally idle when the shaft is at rest; shiftable means connected to the correcting key; and a stop controlled directly by the shaft and adapted to enter the path of said shiftable means when the shaft is turned, to lock the correcting key against operation.

11. In a calculating machine, the combination with a driving shaft, registers, register-driving means released and restored by the operation of the shaft, a keyboard, including several spring-returned keys, stops set up by the keys in the paths of the re ister-driving means, keepers to releasab y hold the stops in effective position, and a correcting key to trip the keepers; of a locking mechanism for the keys, controlled by the shaft and normally idle when the shaft is at rest; and means independent of the key-locking mechanism, to lock the correcting key against operation when the shaft is in other than its home position.

12. In a calculating machine, the combination with a driving shaft, registers, register-driving means released and restored by the operatiton of the shaft, a keyboard, including several springreturned keys, stops set up by the keys in the paths of the register-driving means, keepers to releasably hold the stops in efiective position, and a correcting key to trip the keepers, of an arm connected to the correcting key and normally free to swing when the shaft is at rest, and a stop controlled by the shaft and interposed in the path of the arm when the shaft begins its stroke, to lock the correcting key against operation.

13. In a calculating machine, the combination with a drive shaft 21, registers 23, register-driving mechanism 11 released and restored by the operation of the shaft, a keyboard, including several spring-returned keys 4; stops 8 set up by the depression of the keys, in the paths of the register-driving mechanism; a keeper 12 to releasably hold the stops in effective position; tripping means to release the keepers; a correcting key 46; and a rocking frame 47 connected thereto to contact said tripping means; of a link 52 connected to said frame; an arm 54 normally free to swing when the correcting key is operated and the shaft is at rest; and a stop carried by the shaft into the path of the arm to lock the correcting key against operation while the shaft is in other than its normal position of rest.

14. In a calculating machine, the combination with a drive shaft, a flexible multiple-bank keyboard; and a correcting key; of an arm rocked by the main drive shaft; a restraining and restoring member contacted by said arm, and having cams thereon; notched latches acted upon by said cams, and normally held idle by the restraining and restoring member; catches on the respective keys in line with the notches in the latches when the latter are idle; a swinging arm operated by the correcting key; and a stop rocked by the main drive shaft into the path of the swinging arm, to lock the correcting key against depression 'during the operation of said shaft.

15. In a keyset calculating machine, the combination with registering mechanism, and a main drive shaft, of a combined flexible and locking keyboard, the flexibilit of which is retained during the first part 0 the initial stroke of the main drive shaft.

16. In a keyset calculating machine, the combination with a main drive shaft, and a flexible multiple-bank keyboard; of means to lock the keys of said keyboard against operation, including catches on the keys, notched latches, the notches of which are normally alined with the catches; and means controlled by the main drive shaft to shift said latches to effective position to lock the keys against release or depression.

17. In a calculating machine, the combination with a drive shaft, and a flexible multiple-bank keyboard; of locking members for the keys of said keyboard, and means controlled from the main drive shaft to render said locking members efiective or ineffective, depending upon the position of the main drive shaft.

CHARLES V. WILGUS.

In the presence of CHAS. E. KLINK, FRED E. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

